


Explosions

by StBridget



Series: Guardian [2]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Revelations, Secrets, Trust Issues, Winged!Jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-17 14:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9328424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StBridget/pseuds/StBridget
Summary: When Jack is injured in an explosion, he accidentally reveals his wings.  Turns out, a car bomb isn't the only explosion he has to deal with.





	1. Bomb

**Author's Note:**

> MacGyver is property of CBS and its creators.

 

Jack wasn’t sure what tipped him off. It may have been his heightened Guardian senses; it may just have been years of training. Probably both. But when Jack, Mac, Riley, and Bozer came out of the building where they’d just successfully retrieved stolen intelligence on government defense contracts, Jack immediately knew something was off. “Mac, wait,” he said as the blond went to open the door of the car.

 

Mac paused, hand on the handle. “What is it?”

 

“Not sure,” Jack replied. “Something’s off.”

 

Mac knew better than to question Jack. He took a step back and bent down to peer under the car. Sure enough, there was a bundle of wires attached to the underside of the car. “Bomb!”

 

They’d parked the car at the end of a narrow side street, little better than an alley, and entered and left the building through the fire stairs. Jack knew their best bet was to get back in the building, but the heavy metal door had locked behind them, and they didn’t have time to jimmy it open like they had the first time. Their only choice was to run for it.

 

Jack knew they wouldn’t make it. He sensed the pending explosion a moment before it ripped the car apart. Mac was ahead of him, almost to the mouth of the street, but Jack had stayed behind with Riley and Bozer who couldn’t run as fast. He slammed into them as the car blew, knocking them to the ground and spreading his wings over them, careful to manifest them just enough that they were corporeal but still invisible.

 

Jack’s careful concentration was shattered when a large chunk of metal lodged itself in his wing. His wings snapped into existence as Jack screamed in pain.

 

“Jack, are you alright?” Riley asked as she and Bozer struggled to get out from under the bigger man. Jack tried to roll off them, but his wing was useless, and searing pain shot through it every time he tried to move it. Finally, he managed to pull himself to his hands and knees.

 

“Get Mac,” Jack managed through gritted teeth.

 

Riley and Bozer didn’t move, just staring at him, wide-eyed.

 

“What are you waiting for?” Jack barked.

 

“Jack,” Riley said after a minute, “you have wings.”

 

Jack looked over his shoulder, realizing for the first time his wings were in full view. He groaned, and not just in pain. Great, now he’d revealed himself not just to Mac but to Bozer and Riley as well. That wasn’t going to go over well, even if he was on the good side of the Powers That Be (if there was such a thing—Jack was pretty sure they were just using him for their own mysterious ends). Jack could argue that he couldn’t help it, that the shock had caused them to manifest, which was true but a poor excuse. He should have perfect control even under the worst circumstances. He’d been tortured, for God’s sake, and never let them show. Why now?

 

Another bolt of pain shot through Jack’s wings as he struggled to sit up further. He couldn’t worry about revealing himself; he just had to get them all out of here and do something about his wing. “Can we not discuss this now? I need Mac!”

 

Bozer shook himself out of his stupor. “Oh, right.” He raced off to find his friend, leaving Riley behind, still staring at Jack.

 

“Can you help me up?” he asked her.

 

Riley still stood transfixed. “What are you?”

 

“A man in pain!” Jack snapped. He really didn’t have time for this. He needed help, and they needed to get out of here. “Riley, please,” he begged, “we can talk about this later. Just help me, please!”

 

Riley moved cautiously closer, shying away from the wings. She held out a hand.

 

“You’re going to have to come closer than that,” Jack said. “I’m not going to bite.”

 

“I’m not so sure about that,” Riley muttered, but she did come closer.

 

Fortunately, Bozer returned with Mac at that moment. Mac shoved Riley out of the way and bent to help Jack. “Okay, Bozer, I’m going to need help here. You get that side, I’ll get this side.”

 

“Right.” Bozer leaped to help. He was a little awkward trying to account for the wing in balancing Jack, but he didn’t shy away like Riley had. Kid was getting good in an emergency—he kept a much cooler head than he used to. Together, Mac and Bozer got Jack to his feet and helped him to the end of the street. Riley didn’t follow, just staring at Jack’s retreating back.

 

“Riley, you coming?” Mac asked.

 

“Yeah.” She ran to catch up. “How can you be so calm?”

 

“Because we have more important things to worry about,” Mac said. “Like getting out of here. I called Thorton. She’s sending a car for us, but we have to get to the pick up point.”

 

Great. Now there was another person Jack had to explain his wings too. Mac seemed to understand the face Jack made. “Don’t worry—they’re sending two—one for us, and one to take the other driver back. I convinced Thorton we had to keep where we were going a secret.”

 

Jack relaxed slightly. That was one less worry.

 

Riley watched the exchange, eyes darting back and forth between the two. Mac wasn’t just calm; he didn’t seem surprised at all, and he hadn’t been there when Jack revealed his wings. “You knew!” she accused the blond.

 

Mac sighed. “I knew.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Riley demanded.

 

“Because it’s not my secret to tell,” Mac replied.

 

“Can we just concentrate on the matter at hand?” Jack pleaded. “That being getting out of here?”

 

“Yeah,” Mac said. “Riley, go meet the pick up car. It should be two blocks ahead that way,” he motioned.

 

“Fine,” Riley said. She gave Jack’s wings one last long look. “But this isn’t over yet.”

 

Jack sighed. He didn’t think it was.


	2. Shrapnel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mac patches Jack up while Jack wonders how Riley and Bozer will react.

“Ow!” Jack winced as Mac yanked the hunk of metal out of his wing and slapped one of the towels they kept for that purpose over the now-gushing wound (and what did it say about their lifestyle that they had towels for that purpose?). 

“That’s going to need stitches,” Mac said.

“So, stitch it already,” Jack said.

“You really need to see a doctor,” Mac said. He knew it was probably useless—Jack hated doctors almost as much as Mac did—but he had to try. Mac briefly considered threats, maybe withholding sexual favors, but figured it wouldn’t do any good—Jack was as stubborn as they came.

“No. No doctors. How am I going to explain these?” Jack tried to flutter his wings in emphasis, but winced again as the action jostled his wounded wing. “Damn, that hurts.”

“Surely, the Guardians have doctors,” Mac said.

“Yeah, but I’d rather not go into long explanations. Besides, you can do just as good a job as they can. It’s not like you haven’t done it before. You can have it all sewn up nice and pretty before we’d even get in to see the doctor.”

Mac sighed. What Jack said was true—if it were on his body. “I have no experience with wings.”

“It’s a wound. How much different can it be?”

Mac gave up and went to fetch the necessary materials (and again, what did it say that they had them on hand, in large quantities?). He spread out Jack’s wing as best as he could and started in. “This is going to hurt.”

Jack winced a third time, but didn’t cry out. He tried to focus on something other than the pain in his wing. “I really fucked up, didn’t I?”

“What do you mean?”

“With Riley and Bozer.”

“Jack, you saved their lives,” Mac said. “If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be picking shrapnel out of them, and it wouldn’t be nearly as pretty.”

“Yeah, but I was keeping secrets from them. They’re probably furious at me.”

“Nah, they’ll get over it,” Mac said.

“Don’t lie to me,” Jack said. “I saw their faces. They’re not going to get past it that easily. They’ll probably never talk to me again.”

Mac chose his words carefully, trying to reassure Jack as best he could. “I think Bozer took it in stride. He was more curious than anything.” It was true. He spent most of the trip to the house peppering Jack with questions he had no desire to answer. Jack put him off with excuses of being in pain and promises of explaining later. Now, he and Riley were waiting in the living room while Mac patched Jack up in the bedroom.

Riley, on the other hand, was a different story. She refused to speak to Jack, seething in the back seat the whole time. It had taken a lot of persuasion to convince her to stay and not storm off. Jack was afraid if she did that, he had no hope of setting things right.

“Riley didn’t,” Jack pointed out.

“No, Riley was furious.” Mac would have liked to lie, but he couldn’t do that to Jack. The other man would see right through them, not to mention the fact all four of them had promised to be honest which each other—a promise Jack had just shattered, in a big way.

“What am I going to do?” Jack asked.

Mac sighed. “I don’t know. Just talk to her. She’ll listen to you.”

Jack snorted. “Don’t kid a kidder. She’ll probably punch me. I deserve it, too.”

Mac had to admit that was a very real possibility, and, coming from someone who’d spent two years in a maximum security prison, that would probably hurt, a lot. His wing wouldn’t be the only injury Jack would have to worry about. At the very least, Jack would need to use one of the packs of frozen vegetables Bozer only allowed in the house for these situations (geez, they were pathetic. They practically had their own hospital). At worst, Mac would be patching up a broken arm as well. At least that he knew how to handle, but it was small comfort. “At least she agreed to stay and listen.”

“Yeah, that’s something,” Jack conceded.

Mac tied off the last stitch. “There, all better.” Jack couldn’t see Mac’s handiwork, but he trusted the younger man to do a good job, flesh or feathers. Jack tried to fold his wings, but cringed at the pain. That was definitely a no-go. “I think you’re going to have to keep them out for a while,” Mac said.

“Yeah.” Jack let them droop. It still hurt, but it was better than folding them. “Just what I need—Riley and Bozer will think I’m rubbing their face in it.”

“They’ll understand,” Mac said. Jack just sent him an incredulous look. “Okay, maybe they won’t, but there’s no help for it. At least you can’t make the situation worse.”

Jack was dubious. He was pretty sure things could, and probably would, get worse, at least with Riley. Bozer would probably want to film him, something Jack decidedly didn’t want. Jack really wished he could postpone this, but with his wing all patched up, he couldn’t avoid it any longer. Time to face the music. He took a deep breath and went to see his friends, desperately hoping they still were.


	3. Defusing the Bomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack faces the music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you almost didn't get this chapter. I was just getting in the groove and hadn't saved it yet when I accidentally kicked the power strip and turned off my computer. Thank god for autosave! :)

Riley and Bozer were sitting on the couch. Riley was staring blankly into space, shoulders hunched, while Bozer had his arm around her and held her hand, whispering words Jack couldn’t hear but were probably meant to be soothing. They didn’t seem to be having much effect. Jack would have been thrilled at the evidence of their progressing relationship if he didn’t have other, more serious matters on his mind.

 

Bozer glanced up as Mac and Jack came into the room, but Riley didn’t move. Mac took a seat while Jack stood awkwardly in front of them, wings drooping forlornly, reflecting his mental state as well as his injuries. He opened his mouth to speak, to explain, to try to make everything better, even though he knew he probably couldn’t.

 

Riley didn’t even let him get one word out before she attacked. “What are you, some kind of harpy?” she demanded.

 

That was harsh, but at least she hadn’t hit him—yet. Jack decided to try for humor. “No, harpies are women. And ugly.” He grinned, though there was no joy behind it. “Is this face ugly?”

 

Riley, not surprisingly, wasn’t buying. “You look pretty ugly to me, but maybe that’s because you’re an ugly liar.”

 

She wasn’t pulling her punches. “Look, Riley, let me explain.”

 

She wasn’t done. “You could at least have the decency to put them away and not rub it in our faces that you’re different than us. What, you think having wings makes you better than the rest of us?”

 

Ouch. Telling her he was a Guardian and responsible for looking after people, kind of like a guardian angel, was not going to go over well. Jack was beginning to wonder if there was any way he could salvage their relationship. He had to try.

 

“I’m not trying to rub your face in it, and I don’t think I’m better than you. I’d be happy to put them away, but I can’t because of the injury.”

 

“So, what, we’re supposed to feel sorry for you, poor, wounded birdman?” Riley shot back.

 

This was going nowhere. Jack couldn’t open his mouth without Riley attacking him. He had to find a way to defuse the situation before it devolved into a screaming match, or worse.

 

Fortunately, Bozer cut in. “So, what are you?”

 

“I’m a Guardian.”

 

“Like a guardian angel?” Bozer asked.

 

“Kind of.”

 

“So, you do think you’re better than us,” Riley cut in.

 

Jack had had enough. “Will you just shut up and listen for a minute?” Riley looked startled, but didn’t say anything. “I’m not better than you. I’m human, just like you. I bleed, I cry, I love. I just have wings and am harder to injure and heal faster.” Oh, yeah, that sounded so much better.

 

“Oh, that doesn’t sound like you’re better than us at all,” Riley said, sarcastically.

 

Once again, it was Bozer to the rescue. “So, what does a Guardian do?”

 

“I look after people. Groups, mostly, like I was in charge of looking after my squad in Delta Force. A lot of us are in the military and do things like that. A lot of us are firemen or policemen and look after our communities.”

 

“So, you’re supposed to look after us,” Bozer surmised.

 

Jack wanted to say yes, that was what he was supposed to do, but he owed them complete honesty. “Actually, I’m supposed to look after Mac. Not that the two of you aren’t important, too, and I wouldn’t give my life for you, because I would,” he hastened to add.

 

“But if it came down to us or Mac we all know you’d choose Mac.” Jack knew Riley wouldn’t be silent for long.

 

Jack sighed. “I’d try to save _all_ of you. I consider _all three of you_ my responsibility.”

 

“So, is that all we are to you? A _responsibility_?”

 

This was not going well. Riley seemed determined to jump on every little point and use it against him. “No, of course not. You’re my friends. My _family_. I care about all of you very deeply.”

 

Riley snorted. “Funny way of showing it. I thought _family_ didn’t keep secrets from each other.”

 

Jack sighed. Maybe this would go better if he could talk to Riley one-on-one. He looked at Mac and Bozer. “Could you two give us a minute.”

 

“Sure.” Mac motioned to Bozer and the two made their way out to the deck.

 

Jack sat down on the coffee table in front of Riley, trying to look her in the eye. “Look at me.” He reached out to lift her chin.

 

She slapped him, hard. Jack was just grateful it wasn’t her fist. He knew Mac and Bozer were watching, and Mac was probably ready to leap to Jack’s defense, so he held out a hand to keep them back. He heard the click of the door as someone, probably Mac, slid it back into place.

 

“Okay, I deserved that,” Jack said. “Look, I’m really sorry you had to find out this way. How can I make it up to you?”

 

Riley slapped her hands down on the coffee table, hemming Jack in and getting right up in his face. “Stop ruining my life!”

 

Jack flinched. “I’m not trying to.”

 

“Could have fooled me.” She stood up and began pacing, agitated. “First you come in and get between me and my family, then you spring me out of prison, give me a job, and let me believe you care about me, and then I find out you’ve been keeping this from me! Were me and my mom just a _responsibility_ , too?”

 

Jack grabbed her arms to stop her pacing. She struggled, and he dropped his hands. “No, of course not! I cared about you, _both_ of you. I still do. You’re like a daughter to me.”

 

“FATHERS DON’T KEEP SECRETS!” she screamed, pounding her fists on his chest.

 

Jack just stood there and took it. “I know, I’m sorry.”

 

“I _trusted_ you.” Each word was emphasized with the pounding of her fists against Jack’s chest. “You let me down! It always happens! Just when I think I have something good, something comes along and ruins it! _You_ come along and ruin it!” She kept up the pounding for a few more seconds, then burst into tears. “Why can’t I just be happy for once without something horrible happening?”

 

Jack gathered her into his arms, letting her cry. “I know. I’m sorry.” He didn’t say he was sorry for ruining her life, didn’t say he didn’t mean to, didn’t say he wouldn’t do it again. They were just empty words, and even if he meant them, they would mean nothing to her. “I can’t change the past. I can’t promise never to hurt you. But I can promise I will be here for you, no matter what, and I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe and help you be happy.”

 

Gradually, Riley’s sobs subsided to sniffles. “I know,” she mumbled into Jack’s chest. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I know you didn’t have a choice. I should know, what with this job and everything. It just _hurts_.”

 

Jack stroked her hair. “I know.” They were silent a few more minutes, just holding each other. Finally, Jack broke the silence. “We good?”

 

Riley sniffed. “No. But we will be.”

 

Jack couldn’t ask for more.


	4. Repurcussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Riley work it out. Bozer has questions.

Mac and Bozer stepped out onto the deck. Mac left the door cracked and kept an eye on Riley and Jack. He saw her slap the older man, and went to intervene, but Jack must have sensed his intent and waved him back. Reluctantly, Mac stepped back and slid the door into place.

 

“I guess Riley’s taking it pretty hard, huh?” Bozer said.

 

“I don’t blame her,” Mac said. “Jack’s like a father to her. She’s just barely forgiven him for what he did when he was dating her mother. This has got to be a hard blow for her.” They were silent for a minute before Mac spoke again. “You seem to be taking it well.”

 

Bozer shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s really sunk in, to be honest. Plus, I guess I’ve kind of gotten used to this secrets thing, what with the whole secret agent stuff.”

 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”

 

Bozer thought about it for a minute. “Were you upset when you found out?”

 

“Furious. I felt just like Riley, like our whole relationship was a lie,” Mac said.

 

“What changed your mind? I mean, obviously you got over it, what with you two being together and him practically living here now and all,” Bozer said.

 

“He told me he loved me. It’s actually how we got together,” Mac said simply.

 

“But how did you know that wasn’t a lie?” Bozer wanted to know.

 

“I didn’t, not at first, but he was willing to sacrifice everything for me, even if it meant not being a Guardian anymore, even if it meant they basically tortured him,” Mac explained. “That’s when I knew he really meant it, and I realized he was everything to me, and I couldn’t let secrets get between us. Like you said, it kind of goes with the job, so I guess I can’t hold it too much against Jack for keeping secrets of his own.”

 

Bozer digested this. “You said ‘they’. So, there’s someone in charge of the Guardians?”

 

“Yeah,” Mac said. “I don’t really understand all of it, but it’s like a corporation. There’s managers, and case workers, and Guardians, and then there’s the Powers That Be.”

 

“Who are they?” Bozer asked.

 

“I don’t really know,” Mac said. “Jack wasn’t really clear. They’re, well, they’re the Powers That Be. They control everything.”

 

“Everything about the Guardians,” Bozer clarified.

 

“Everything about everything,” Mac said. “To here Jack tell it, they’re kind of like God.”

 

“So, everything we do is because of these Powers That Be?”

 

“No,” Mac said. “Like I said, I don’t really understand it.” He thought about how to explain it better. It was hard, when he didn’t really understand it himself. “I guess maybe they’re more like the Greek gods—all powerful, but they only get involved in human affairs when they feel like it. Most of the daily stuff is done by the managers and such.”

 

“Guardians, Inc. I like it!” Bozer said. “Like Mystery, Inc. Or Murder, Inc!”

 

Mac chuckled. “I think they’re a lot more boring than that, but whatever floats your boat.”

 

Another thought occurred to Bozer. “Will Jack get in trouble for telling us?”

 

“Probably,” Mac said. “I don’t think he’d do anything differently, though.”

 

“I don’t want him to get in trouble for us,” Bozer said, worriedly. “Can’t we tell them he couldn’t help it or something?”

 

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Mac said. “Jack will handle it.” He glanced inside. Jack was holding Riley, but she seemed to have calmed down. “I think the coast is clear. Shall we go back inside?”

 

Jack and Riley glanced up when Mac and Bozer came back into the room. Riley’s eyes were red, but she seemed much calmer.

 

“You two good?” Mac asked.

 

“Yeah, we’re good,” Jack said. Riley disentangled herself from Jack and nodded. “How about you guys? You good?”

 

“Yeah,” Bozer said. “I have a bunch of questions though. How did you get to be a Guardian? Can you fly? How come we can’t see your wings? What else can you do? Can I film you? It would make an awesome film! The Birdman of LA!”

 

The others couldn’t help but laugh at his enthusiasm. “I think those are questions for another day,” Jack said. “Now, how about we kick back with some beers?”

 

Everyone agreed, so Mac fetched the beverages. Jack raised his in a toast. “To friendship.”

 

Surprisingly, Riley was the next to toast. “To family.”

 

Jack liked the sound of that. Yeah, they had secrets, and there were probably more they didn’t know, but they were family, and one way or another, they’d always pull through. That’s what family did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next couple will be fluff, but important fluff. ;) Plus, at least one will be smut, and who doesn't like smut? ;)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm probably going to follow the show arc where Thornton is a traitor, but for now, having her still be director suits my purpose. :)


End file.
